1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an original processing apparatus for reading images of originals, e.g., utility charge bills, service application forms, securities such as bills and checks.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 51, MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) characters 1091 are printed in magnetic ink on originals 1090, e.g., bills handled by banking facilities such as banks. Originals are sorted on a per bank basis, on a per account basis, on a per amount basis, or on a per payday basis by reading the MICR characters 1091 on the originals by an image reading apparatus (original processing apparatus).
Images of originals 1090 and information of MICR characters 1091 read by image reading apparatuses in branch offices are transferred as electronic files to a host computer in a centralized center where money payment processing, etc. are carried out based on the information received by the host computer.
The above series of processing must be completed in a short time, e.g., within one day from when originals were received from the user, and therefore, rapid processing is demanded. In most banking facilities, processing on originals is not performed in a central office or branch offices, but performed in, e.g., a quarter called a centralized center specialized to handle originals. In the centralized center, large amounts of originals are collectively processed by using high-speed, large-scale image reading apparatuses.
With the recent advancement of communication technology, it is possible to conduct a business operation such that various individual information including MICR characters and images of originals are read at each branch office and then transferred as electronic files to the centralized center in which money payment processing based on the electronic files and the individual information is completed before the originals are received by the centralized center. This electronic data-based processing eliminates the need for the centralized center to collect originals on the same day where the originals are received from customers, resulting in a reduction of amounts of transportation of bills at the centralized center and the branch offices, whereby rapid original processing as well as cost reduction can be achieved.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-217635 thus discloses, as a conventional image reading apparatus, a magnetic ink character reading apparatus where a read signal waveform is obtained by reading magnetic ink characters on an original by a magnetic head and then compared with basic waveform data for magnetic ink character authentication, whereby character recognition is made. After completion of the character recognition, a statement that electronic payment processing is completed is printed by a printing mechanism disposed downstream of the magnetic head on the original whose magnetic ink characters have been read.
The magnetic ink character reading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-217635 is configured not to allow printing on an original unless electronic payment processing is completed. When magnetic ink characters have been read, but electronic payment processing based on a result of recognition of read information is not completed, the apparatus is therefore unable to proceed to the next processing and sometimes required to stop original conveyance and wait for completion of the electronic payment processing. Such stoppage of conveyance causes a reduction in original processing speed, and such tendency becomes noticeable when a plurality of originals are continuously processed.
There is a fear that the above problem is caused also in other original processing apparatus configured, e.g., to read information of an original on an upstream side of an original conveying path and based on the read information, perform another processing such as printing, reading, or the like on a downstream side of the conveying path.